This is the Hook, Line and Sinker aggregate page. Scroll down for videos and links to earlier reports. Catch a fish we should know about? Email Dan Radel at dradel@gannettnj.com or call 732-643-4072.

It hasn't been super easy fishing for blackfish. But when is it ever, especially when the season is smack dab in the middle of the colder, windier months of the year.

There have been a few big fish reeled in so far this season. A 10 pounder here and there, but not a whole lot of them to mention.

Kris Black, captain of Fish Stix charters out of Shark River Inlet said Thursday morning the season has "been bad, then good, now bad."

On Tuesday he took a GoPro video of the bottom over shallow rocks on the northern coastline. The camera caught a few curious onlooking blackfish nosing around the lens and an out-of-season keeper-size fluke.

"I found out that the (black)fish are, in fact, on every spot. Just depends if they feel like eating or not," he said.

So are the lobster. On Sunday John Kim from Queens, hooked a 1 ½ to 2-pound lobster in the claw with a jig. Black said once the lobster was in the boat they taped the claws of the crustacean shut.

Captain Matt Sosnowski of the Norma K III party boat in Point Pleasant Beach said they had beautiful weather on Monday and Tuesday's trip. Still, the fishing was a little slow.

"The blackfish were picking and scratching at the baits both days. You would get a good hit and then they would not come back to finish off the crab," said Sosnowski. "We did pick a few however on both green and white crabs. There were also some caught on jigs."

The wind was an issue on Wednesday's trip, said Captain Tom Buban of the Atlantic Star party boat in Atlantic Highlands.

It didn't blow quite as hard as forecast but it was enough to keep him inshore and off the deeper spots where he was having some decent success. He fished a few of the shallower spots and anglers "caught some shorts and only a few keepers."

Captain Chris Hueth of the Big Mohawk party boat in Belmar was out Wednesday and said the biggest blackfish landed on the boat for the day was seven pounds.

Dec. 19. Fishermen still dialed into striped bass

The ocean conditions were much better this weekend than forecast, except if you were trying to anchor Sunday, because there was little to no wind.

I was at Normandy Beach Sunday afternoon in time to observe a trio of surf casters wading knee-high in low-tide water that was near-perfect glass. I did not stick around long enough to see if they had luck catching any stripers.

Mike Kuzio, right, and his son, with their striped bass landed Dec. 17 on the Sea Hunter party boat.

Mike Kuzio, right, and his son, with their striped bass landed Dec. 17 on the Sea Hunter party boat.(Photo: Courtesy of Captain Rob Semkewyc/Sea Hunter)

But there were scattered reports of decent striped bass action. Captain Rob Semkewyc of the party boat Sea Hunter at Atlantic Highlands said he had a boat limit of keeper and slot bass on Sunday.

The fish were feeding on herring and bunker so he said casting rubber shads worked best to land the fish.

"I really didn't know what to expect, after my last trip last week was a hack," said Semkewyc.

On Saturday Bobby Matthews at Fishermen's Den in Belmar said heard from customers and shop regulars of a coast-wide invasion of small fish.

"When you hit a pocket of fish the numbers you can catch are extremely high," Matthews said. "One angler reported he had more than 10 doubleheaders along with many singles."

Matthews said the surf and inlet areas produced big numbers along with the occasional fish over 30 inches.

One fishery that's been a bit overlooked is the winter flounder. No one really gets motivated to go because of the two-fish limit, but the fish are biting on the tides in Shark River.

Captain Matt Sosnowski of the Norma K III party boat at Point Pleasant Beach observed more blackfish being landed this weekend, perhaps a sign the fish are becoming more active.

"I think since the water is starting to cool off the Blackfish are getting a little more aggressive," Sosnowski said.

He said either green or white legger crabs and even jigs worked as long as anglers cast around to different rocks to get the bite. He said he had anglers on the boat that made limit catches of six blackfish.

Captain Chris Hueth on the Big Mohawk out of Belmar said Saturday was a good day on the blackfish grounds.

"We had a good amount of keepers in the mix. Some guys did very well with the jig and there where also some on the bait rods," Hueth said. "I do have to admit that the jig had the advantage on the keepers."

Capt. Hal Hagaman on the Sea Tiger II party boat in Atlantic Highlands said they flopped around on the anchor Sunday because of no current or wind to hold them, but they still managed to pick a decent number of blackfish.

The 125-foot Jamaica party boat was offshore sea bass fishing Friday into Saturday. The boat's skipper Howard Bogan said limits of giant sea bass were made as the fish continue to migrate offshore.

On top of that, he said a good number of "jumbo" porgies were reeled in, a few cod, including the pool winning 34 pounder and some bluefish.

Dec. 11 Report: Surf now ruled by 'schoolie' size bass

School must be in session judging by the amount of small striped bass in the surf.

Surf anglers hooked and released countless numbers of the fish, which have generally measured two feet or less. The action started late last week.

"We have seen a tremendous number of small school bass in the surf and rivers. The anglers coming in report you can get a fish or a hit on every cast. This is all along the Jersey Shore," said Bobby Matthews at Fishermen's Den in Belmar.

Matthews said the best bite seems to be the afternoon and evening but fish are caught all day and into the night.

A fisherman on the 125-foot Jamaica reeled in a lobster this weekend.(Photo: Courtesy of Captain Howard Bogan)

He said anglers should tie up using lures with single hooks such as small bucktails, or Tsunami rubber eels with single hook and a teaser, to make it easier to release the fish safely.

The Long Beach Island Fall Surf Fishing Classic finished Sunday. A total of 84 striped bass and 11 bluefish were entered in the eight-week contest.

John Matt of Surf City won the striped bass category with the 48-pound bass he caught Nov. 1. Robbie Vallone of Tuckerton took home first in the bluefish group with a 15 pounder he landed Nov. 4.

The 125-foot Jamaica party boat in Brielle sailed offshore for sea bass on Saturday. Captain Howard Bogan said they got some rain offshore instead of snow, and the wind held off until it was time to head back to the barn.

Bogan said the fish and even some crustaceans were biting on the wrecks Anglers reeled in sea bass, porgies, some weakfish and two stubborn lobster, which got their claws hooked.

He said a lot of fares caught their limit of 15 sea bass. The heaviest fish were over six pounds.

Captain Hal Hagaman of the Sea Tiger II party boat in Atlantic Highlands was out Friday with a small crowd of blackfish anglers.

He said he did not have the greatest anchoring conditions but was able to get a decent pick of mostly shorts with an odd keeper mixed in going. By the end of the day, one angler had his limit of six blackfish. Others had few to one.

The porgy fishing finally slowed down on the inshore bottom. Captain Willie Egerter of the Dauntless party boat said more winter type fishing are moving in. He said more ling, cod and pollock are showing up in the catches.

Egerter said anglers are catching between 10 and 25 fish.

The weather does not sound like it will be on the fishermen's side for most of what should be a windy week. NOAA has forecast wind gusts up to 45 knots out of the west.